Chalkwell Hall Junior School

LEIGH-ON-SEA

Reporting inspector : Mrs Pat King – 7853

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LEIGH-ON-SEA

Dates of inspection : 29 th November – 2 nd December 1999

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LEIGH-ON-SEA

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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LEIGH-ON-SEA

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School Chalkwell Hall - 3 Type of control: County

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: London Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 3NL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Helena Rosenberg

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10-14 June 1996 Chalkwell Hall - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs P. King History; Art. Attainment and progress; Teaching; Leadership and management. Mrs F. Luke Equal opportunities. Attendance; Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare; Partnership with parents and the community. Mr A. Cox Mathematics; Information technology. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources. Mr B. Emery Design and technology; Geography; Special educational needs. English as an additional language Mr D. Maxwell Science; Religious education. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development; Efficiency. Mr P. Sudworth English; Music; Physical education. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development; Curriculum and assessment.

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

National Educational Services, Linden House, Woodland Way, Gosfield, Halstead, Essex.

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Chalkwell Hall - 5

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MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents' views of the school

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 - 4 Key indicators 5

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 6 - 16 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 17 - 22 Attendance 23 - 24

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 25 - 36 The curriculum and assessment 37 - 48 Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 49 - 53 Support, guidance and pupils' welfare 54 - 58 Partnership with parents and the community 59 - 62

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 63 - 70 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 71 - 76 The efficiency of the school 77 - 82

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Data and indicators 167 Chalkwell Hall - 6

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What the school does well

• . Good quality teaching in Year 6 ensures that those pupils make good progress. • . Standards at the end of Year 6 are high in mathematics and science and above average in reading and speaking and listening. • . The teaching of music is very good and pupils make very good progress in the subject. • . The quality of the extra-curricular activities is good. • . The school monitors and evaluates its curriculum provision well in English, mathematics and science. • . Financial control and administration are very good. • . Information technology resources are very good and have been used very well to promote rapid progress since the installation of the suite at the beginning of this term. • . Links with the local community are good.

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Where the school has weaknesses

• . Although standards are average in writing by the end of the key stage, the pupils do not make as much progress as they could do. • . There is too much difference generally between the progress that pupils make in lessons in the lower and upper parts of the key stage. • . Organisation of the timetable does not result in the best use of the curriculum time available. • . The roles and responsibilities of the middle management team are insufficiently developed to provide a full overview of the school and to ensure that whole-school procedures are met consistently. The weaknesses are outweighed by what the school does well, but they will form the basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

Since the last inspection in June 1996, standards at the end of the key stage have been raised in mathematics and science and improvement has been made in the quality of teaching. The action points from the last inspection have been tackled effectively. Good procedures for assessment have been introduced. A better structure for the curriculum has been prepared so that the teachers can build appropriately on pupils’ learning from year to year. Standards in year groups have been monitored through the introduction of annual tests, end of year teacher assessments and shared curriculum planning. These strategies have helped to ensure greater consistency in curriculum coverage. Statutory requirements for a daily act of collective worship are now met and the school promotes pupils’ spiritual development more successfully at this time. Considerable improvements have been made to the accommodation since the last inspection and learning resources have been improved in the areas of identified

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

weakness. The school has set appropriate targets for improvement in the short term and is well placed to meet those priorities. Chalkwell Hall - 7

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Standards in subjects

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

In the national tests in English over the last three years pupils’ attainment at the end of the key stage has been above the national average when compared to all schools. Whilst pupils’ attainment has shown some improvement over this period, standards have fallen slightly against the national average in the last two years. In 1999 pupils’ attainment in the national tests was average when compared with all schools nationally and with schools taking pupils from similar social backgrounds based on the level of free school meals. In mathematics and science there has been an improving trend over the last four years in the national tests at the end of the key stage. In 1999 pupils’ attainment when compared to all schools nationally and to similar schools was well above average.

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similar schools

During the inspection, when taking account of the numbers of pupils reaching what is expected nationally, pupils’ attainment at the end of the key stage was judged to be similar to that in the national tests in 1999 in English, mathematics and science. In religious education pupils’ attainment is mainly in line with the locally Agreed Syllabus. In information technology pupils have made good progress since the installation of a high-quality information technology suite at the beginning of this term and standards have been raised recently but remain below the national expectation at the end of Year 6. Pupils make very good progress in music and demonstrate good skills in composing and performing by the end of the key stage. Pupils achieve some good standards in aspects of art, design and technology, geography and history and develop mainly satisfactory skills in games and gymnastics.

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Teaching in: 7 - 11 years

Other subjects Good Chalkwell Hall - 8 The quality of teaching is most often satisfactory in the school as a whole, with almost half the teaching being good or better and just over one in ten lessons being unsatisfactory. There are differences in the quality of teaching between the lower and the upper parts of the school. In Years 3 and 4 teaching ranges from unsatisfactory to very good and is mainly satisfactory. In Years 5 and 6 the quality of teaching is mainly good. In Year 6 the teaching is at its best with almost eight out of ten lessons being of good or better quality and almost four out of ten lessons being very good or excellent. Teaching in music is very good.

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Teaching in: 7 - 11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Pupils’ behaviour is good both in and around the school. They show a good respect for the building and the equipment that they use in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is satisfactory as it was at the time of the last inspection. Pupils arrive punctually to lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Ethos* Pupils form good relationships with each other, other adults and visitors. In Years 5 and 6 pupils show very good levels of maturity and their relationships with one another are very good. Pupils have good attitudes to learning. Most pupils are very interested in their work and strive to improve but some pupils have difficulty in concentrating, particularly when working independently of the teacher. Leadership and management Since the last inspection there have been significant changes in the leadership of the school. During the last year, pending the appointment of a permanent headteacher who took up post in September 1999, the school has been effectively led and managed. The governors are very supportive of the school and are appropriately informed and involved. Year group leaders co-ordinate the work of the year groups effectively but their role as members of the middle management team is not developed enough to ensure that all whole school policies are

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Aspect Comment

implemented consistently. Good procedures for checking attainment, teaching and progress in English, mathematics and science have had a strong impact on improving aspects of the teaching in these subjects. However, the school development plan is too short-term to enable the school to plan ahead for other subject developments and related staff professional development. Curriculum The school’s curriculum is of good quality. Shared planning in year groups ensures that all pupils have access to the same range of activities. The school has some good procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ progress. Some of these are not used consistently enough across the school to enable all teachers to match work equally well to pupils’ prior learning. Pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils’ with special educational needs is good and is managed effectively. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress when

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Aspect Comment

withdrawn from lessons for individual or group work and often within lessons. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development The school promotes pupils’ spiritual development satisfactorily and pupils’ moral, social and cultural development well.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing, resources The school has an appropriate number of suitably qualified teachers, with sufficient knowledge and expertise to teach the National Curriculum. The support Chalkwell Hall - 9 and accommodation staff make a good contribution both within the curriculum and the organisation and administration of the school. The accommodation is sufficient to enable the school to provide effectively for all subjects of the National Curriculum but limits some activities in physical education. Learning resources are satisfactory overall and are very good in information technology and for pupils with special educational needs. Resources for the literacy hour are of good quality but the range of reading books available in each classroom is not wide enough. Value for money Taking account of the school’s average costs, pupils’ mainly satisfactory progress, the good quality education provided and good pupil behaviour and attitudes to

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Aspect Comment

learning, the school offers satisfactory value for money.

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Aspect Comment

* Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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happy about

• . Parents are encouraged to participate in the life of the school. • . Teachers are approachable. • . The school handles parental complaints well. • . Parents are informed about the progress that their children make and about what is taught. • . Pupils achieve a good standard of work. • . The school encourages pupils to take part in activities outside of lessons. • . Pupils are given the right amount of homework. • . Pupils are encouraged to take initiative and responsibility. • . Pupils’ behaviour is good. • . Pupils enjoy school. • . There are insufficient sports activities and educational visits and not enough homework in Years 5 and 6. • . Some pupils are not able to take part in activities outside of lessons because there are not enough places or they are in the lower school. • . The school does not provide sufficient information for parents about what is taught.

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happy about

Inspectors’ judgements support the parents’ positive views of the school. The information provided for parents about the school and their children’s progress is satisfactory. Regular newsletters give information about activities and events and open evenings and pupils’ annual reports inform parents about what pupils have achieved and what has been covered in the curriculum. Information about approaches to the curriculum is not given as systematically.

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happy about

The school does its best to provide fully for the work in physical education and pupils have a balanced programme. However, the school’s accommodation facilities are inadequate for high quality provision for physical education. Despite these difficulties, pupils generally make satisfactory progress in the subject. There is good quality provision for extra-curricular activities, which range from music and sporting activities to art and drama. With the high number of pupils in the school it is not always possible to provide opportunities for all pupils who wish to attend. The arrangements for homework are manageable for the staff in addition to their full teaching commitments and class responsibilities. These help the pupils to follow up work in school and support them in their general preparation for secondary school. The school provides a good range of visits for the pupils to extend their experiences, for example

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happy about

to the local church and to museums Chalkwell Hall - 10

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

In order to build on the satisfactory progress made since the last inspection the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . improve the standards in writing by: § . providing the pupils with more opportunities for extended writing; (paragraphs 9, 88)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

§ . establishing procedures by which pupils look critically at their own work to check for correct use of punctuation and spelling; (paragraphs 9, 87, 88)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

§ . placing more emphasis on the teaching of handwriting and presentation skills. (paragraphs 9, 89)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . make the pupils’ progress more consistently good across the school by: § . improving the pace of some lessons and raising some teachers’ expectations of pupils so that there is appropriate challenge for all pupils; (paragraphs 16, 20, 28, 30, 33, 91, 102, 132, 148, 162)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

§ . ensuring that there is a consistent approach to pupil management; (paragraphs 19, 31, 55, 66, 90, 102, 121, 148)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• . improve the use of curriculum time by: § . reviewing the organisation of the timetable so that: a) appropriate periods of time are made available for the foundation subjects; b) pupils have a balance of learning styles within morning and afternoon sessions; (paragraphs 33,39)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• ) improve the monitoring and evaluation of the work of the school by; § ) clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the year group leaders so that they have more opportunities to gain an overview of teaching, learning and attainment in the year groups; (paragraph 64)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

§ ) making the links between the year group leaders and subject co-ordinators more explicit so that expertise is used to maximum effect across the school; (paragraphs 64, 77)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

§ ) ensuring that the school development plan is longer term and has precise outcomes for teaching, learning and attainment and planned strategies for monitoring and evaluation. (paragraphs 67, 76)

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in the action plan:

§ ) improving resources for reading, particularly reference books; (paragraphs 74, 92)

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in the action plan:

§ ) reviewing record keeping systems so that they are more manageable for the teachers. (paragraph 47) Chalkwell Hall - 11

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Characteristics of the school

1.Chalkwell Junior School is situated near the nothern edge of Chalkwell in the urban area of Westcliff-on–Sea, Essex. It is much bigger than the average primary school, with 422 pupils on roll aged 7-11 years of whom 212 are boys and 210 are girls. This shows very little change in the size of the school since the last inspection. The junior school shares a restricted site with the infant school. There is limited playground space and dining area and there is no field for sports, although the school uses Chalkwell Park, which is nearby. The present headteacher has only been in post since September 1999. For a little more than a year the deputy headteacher held the post of acting headteacher prior to the appointment of the present headteacher. Two senior members of staff shared the role of acting deputy headteacher. The teaching staff has remained unchanged since September 1998.

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Characteristics of the school

2.The school serves an area in which there is a mix of privately owned and rented housing. Approximately four per cent of pupils have English as an additional language, which is higher than most schools. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is 17 per cent, which is broadly in line with the national average. There are 38 pupils identified as having special educational needs which is nine per cent of the school population and is below the national average. One pupil is in need of significant support with learning, which requires a statement of special educational need. This is below the national average. The school has a three and a half form entry and the vast majority of pupils have previously attended Chalkwell Hall Infant School. Attainment on entry to the school is above average in English, mathematics and science when judged against the percentage of pupils achieving the national

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Characteristics of the school

3.The school aims to provide a caring, happy and supportive school in which every child is valued and encouraged to develop confidence, responsibility and independence. It works to encourage partnership between parents, the child, school and the wider community so that each child is motivated fully to produce work of the highest quality. Equality of opportunity is to be offered so that pupils show respect for self and others and are enabled to take their place as valued citizens in the wider world.

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Characteristics of the school

4.During the educational year 1999-2000 the school plans to raise attainment in Year 3 in science, improve access and achievement in information technology, introduce the Numeracy Strategy and ensure that all pupils have a shared view of the school’s expectations for behaviour. Appropriate targets have been set for the pupils in the national tests in English, mathematics and science, which the teachers are currently using in Year 6 in planning work to ensure good progress. Chalkwell Hall - 12

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Results

Number of pupils Boys 42(31) 45(29) 53(35) at NC Level 4 or Girls 35(44) 38(37) 39(41) above Total 77(75) 83(66) 92(76) Percentage at NC School 76(72) 82(63) 92(73) Level 4 or above National 70(63) 69(62) 78(68)

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Assessments

Number of pupils Boys 45(37) 46(39) 51(39) at NC Level 4 or Girls 36(50) 37(45) 39(48) above Total 81(87) 83(84) 90(87) Percentage at NC School 80(81) 82(81) 90(83) Level 4 or above National 68(63) 69(64) 75(69)

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) % missed through absence for the Authorised School 5.3 latest complete reporting year Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.3 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during the previous year: Number

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is : % Very good or better 13.7 Satisfactory or better 89.2 Less than satisfactory 10.8 Chalkwell Hall - 13

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Attainment and progress

1.Attainment on entry to the school is above average in English, mathematics and science when judged against the percentage of pupils achieving the national average or above. Pupils make mainly satisfactory progress by Year 5 and in Year 6 their progress is most often good. The progress that pupils make overall is satisfactory with much that is good, which is the same rate of progress found at the time of the last inspection.

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Attainment and progress

2.When taking account of all subjects, attainment in the school overall is mainly in line with what is expected for the pupils’ ages, with much that is above. At the end of the key stage pupils’ attainment in English is at least in line with national expectations and in mathematics and science it is above which reflects the recent national tests in these subjects. The school has been successful in raising standards in mathematics and science and maintaining those for English since the time of the last inspection.

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Attainment and progress

3.In the national tests in English over the last three years pupils’ attainment at the end of the key stage has been above the national average when compared to all schools. Whilst pupils’ attainment has shown some improvement over this period, standards have fallen slightly against the national average in the last two years. Taking account of the percentage of pupils attaining the expected level or above, in 1999 pupils’ attainment was average when compared with all school nationally and with schools taking pupils from similar social backgrounds based on the percentage of free school meals. The girls have repeatedly performed better than the boys in English. In mathematics and science there has been an improving trend over the last four years in the national tests at the end of the key stage. Taking account of the percentage of pupils attaining the expected level or above, pupils’ attainment in

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Attainment and progress

1999 was above the national average when compared to all schools nationally and above average when compared with similar schools. The girls performed significantly better than the boys in these tests, although they had not done so for the previous three years. The school is aware of the gender differences in the most recent tests and is monitoring the situation in other year groups through the use of nationally devised tests. Targets set by the school for end of key stage attainment in the national tests in 1999 were met in English and exceeded in mathematics and science.

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Attainment and progress

4.In English, pupils have good speaking and listening skills. They make good progress in these skills and are able to use them when talking within different groups and contexts. They listen well to instructions, stories and teachers’ questions, which helps them to progress in subjects across the curriculum, such as solving mental problems in mathematics. Pupils make satisfactory progress with their reading, which is above the national expectation by the end of Year 6. Pupils read fluently, accurately and with a good level of expression. Their comprehension is good. They develop good research skills, which they use to good effect in other subjects like history. In writing pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 is in line with what is expected for their age overall but they do not make enough progress across the school. Pupils are able to write for different purposes, such as note taking in history and writing

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Attainment and progress

explanations of experiments carried out in science. However, they do not often write at length and whilst their knowledge of punctuation and grammar is sound, they do not always apply these skills in their independent writing. A significant number of pupils do not write consistently in a joined hand.

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Attainment and progress

5.In mathematics, in Years 3 and 4 the pupils generally make satisfactory progress in their lessons and over time. The older pupils progress well, particularly in Year 6. Throughout their time in the school pupils of all abilities generally make satisfactory progress. This leads to the high standards currently attained by the pupils before they leave. By the end of the key stage pupils achieve very good standards in numeracy. Higher attaining pupils have very good recall of number facts and very good problem solving ideas. Pupils’ skills in using and applying mathematics are satisfactory, although they are good at explaining what they have been doing and discussing their work. They are able to use their knowledge and understanding in mathematics to support work in other subjects, for example in science they use tables and graphs to make systematic records of their results in investigations.

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Attainment and progress

Chalkwell Hall - 14 6.In science in Years 3 and 4 the pupils generally make satisfactory progress in their lessons. The older pupils progress well, particularly in Year 6. Throughout their time in the school pupils of all abilities generally make satisfactory progress. Pupils develop good experimental skills by the end of Year 6. They have above average knowledge; many pupils can recall facts and higher attaining pupils can explain their ideas using clear scientific vocabulary.

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Attainment and progress

7.In information technology pupils have made good progress since the installation of a high-quality information technology suite at the beginning of this term. They have increased their confidence and independence in a wide range of skills, such as word processing and data handling. They are able to use data, draw graphs and calculate averages as part of their work in science. They have little experience of control, monitoring or modelling. Standards have been raised recently but remain below the national expectation at the end of Year 6.

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Attainment and progress

8.Pupils’ attainment in religious education is in line with the locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils make satisfactory progress and by the end of Year 6 have a sound understanding of the major festivals of Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism. They can describe important religious people and events satisfactorily and have an appropriate understanding of issues that affect their own lives, such as war and peace.

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Attainment and progress

9.Pupils make very good progress in music and demonstrate good skills in composing and performing by the end of the key stage. They listen well to music and show good appreciation and knowledge of the work of composers. Some pupils have good skills in playing a range of instruments.

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Attainment and progress

10.In the other subjects pupils make satisfactory progress within a balanced range of activities. Progress is mainly satisfactory in Years 3 and 4, is satisfactory with much that is good in Year 5 and is most often good in Year 6. This variation in progress is due in the main to differences in the teachers’ understanding of the skills and knowledge to be developed and their expectations of what pupils can achieve. In art pupils produce good results in painting and drawing by Year 6. They have a good knowledge and understanding of the work of artists, which they are able to apply to their own work. In design and technology the oldest pupils have good design and evaluation skills. By the end of the key stage pupils show good skills and knowledge in geography in the study of rivers and of the local area, as well as contrasting localities. In history pupils have good knowledge and understanding of the historical periods,

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Attainment and progress

and can use sources of evidence to answer questions about the past and organise their findings in different ways. The inadequacy of the accommodation limits pupils’ progress in physical education. In gymnastics and games they have satisfactory skills.

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Attainment and progress

11.Pupils with special educational needs make good progress both within classes and withdrawal sessions for individual or small group work. They consolidate earlier learning well and for some pupils progress is sufficiently good for them to be removed from the special educational needs register or moved down a stage on the stages of assessment process. This shows improvement since the last inspection when the progress made by pupils with special educational needs was mainly satisfactory. Pupils with English as an additional language make the same progress as other pupils. Higher attaining pupils make generally satisfactory progress in Years 3, 4 and 5. Their progress in Year 6 is often good. In mathematics in the lower part of the school higher attaining pupils are not always extended enough in their learning and in writing across the school higher attaining pupils make insufficient progress because they are not given enough opportunities for extended writing. In music higher attaining pupils are

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Attainment and progress

consistently challenged and make very good progress. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection when the progress made by the highest attaining pupils was uneven and work was not always sufficiently matched to their needs to ensure the fullest progress.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

12.Overall pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are good and the school has maintained the standards reported in the last inspection. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 pupils show very good levels of maturity and their relationships with one another are very good. Chalkwell Hall - 15 Pupils are courteous and behave well in and around the school. Outside of lessons their behaviour is good, although they are sometimes boisterous in the hall at lunchtimes. They are sensible on stairways and respond to the school prefects who monitor the pupils’ movements during and after break-times. They show a good respect for the building and the resources. They play happily together in the playground at break times. They usually show kindness and care towards one another around the school.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

13.Pupils form good relationships with their teachers, other adults and visitors. They are friendly and confident. In class pupils show very good levels of enjoyment in learning in some lessons, such as in science and music, and good levels in many of the other lessons observed. They can work collaboratively when required and show good levels of negotiating skills, for example when they have to make decisions about who will undertake particular roles in group tasks. In Year 5 pupils decide amicably who is to record notes during their analysis of the contents and appearance of sandwiches and in physical education pairs of pupils work out movements together with a good level of maturity. Most pupils listen to what others have to say but a few cannot do so without interrupting. The majority of pupils participates well in discussion and contributes answers to the teachers’ questions, particularly in Year 6.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

Throughout the school pupils show respect for the contributions and the feelings of others. Pupils from different ethnic groups integrate well and pupils value each other as individuals.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

14.In most lessons pupils show good levels of interest in the subject, except where the work is not sufficiently well matched to their prior attainment. This occurs in some mathematics lessons with the lower ability sets when pupils find the content too difficult because the work has progressed too quickly for their level of understanding. There were several occasions throughout the school during the inspection when pupils found it difficult to concentrate and did not always settle to work quickly or quietly enough. As a result they did not always complete enough work in lessons in the time available for the task. This was usually when they were required to undertake a specific written assignment following the initial teacher introduction and class discussion. Pupils with special educational needs are positive in their attitudes to learning and respond well and, particularly so, in withdrawal sessions taken by the co-

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

ordinator for special educational needs.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

15.The restricted space in classrooms does not easily permit pupils to select their own resources and pupils do not find it easy to select their own books due to the present arrangement of the reference library.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

16.Overall pupils’ personal development is good. Pupils are beginning to show a wider concern for the needs of the school as a whole, to appreciate democratic procedures and to develop thought for the local environment through the recently established school council. They accept responsibility willingly, such as the various monitor duties and responsibilities allocated to different pupils in all year groups. Through the prefect system pupils show a sense of responsibility, social maturity and respect for one another and for those in authority. All classes produce their own golden rules, in addition to accepting the school’s own rules, and pupils recognise that rules are important to preserve a sense of order. They approve of the house point system that rewards good effort or consideration. Through participation in music and drama in a good range of extra-curricular activities and public performances pupils

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

develop confidence and extend their interests.

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Attendance

17.Attendance is broadly in line with the national average and is satisfactory. This is the same as at the time of the school’s previous inspection. The level of unauthorised absence is below the national average.

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Attendance

18.Registration takes place promptly at the beginning of each session. Pupils are keen to attend and almost all arrive punctually at the start of the school day. During the day lessons start and finish on time. Chalkwell Hall - 16

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Teaching

19.The quality of teaching is most often satisfactory in the school as a whole, with almost half the teaching being good or better and just over one in ten lessons being unsatisfactory. There are differences in the quality of teaching between the lower and the upper parts of the school. In Years 3 and 4 teaching ranges from satisfactory to very good. Teaching in about six of ten lessons is satisfactory, with approximately one out of six being unsatisfactory. In Years 5 and 6 the quality of teaching is mainly good. In Year 6 the teaching is at its best with almost eight out of ten lessons being of good or better quality and almost four out of ten lessons being very good or excellent.

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Teaching

20.Teaching in music is very good. In science, art and design technology it is good. In all the other subjects it is satisfactory overall.

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Teaching

21.Teachers’ subject knowledge is very good in music, which is taught by a music specialist who is also well supported by class teachers. In information technology teachers are increasing their subject knowledge rapidly as a result of recent intensive training and this is having an impact on the progress that pupils are making. In the other subjects teachers’ knowledge is secure and this is evident in the specific vocabulary used, in the explanations given to pupils and in the good questioning techniques employed.

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Teaching

22.Teachers’ expectations are satisfactory overall and this results in work that is often appropriately matched to pupils’ previous attainment. In mathematics, however, pupils in the sets are often given the same work regardless of ability, which results in some loss of concentration for the minority of pupils who are over or under challenged. In some instances pupils repeat work at a similar level at different times in the term. In English work is often matched well to pupils’ needs through different tasks or methods of recording. Expectations are very high in music and skilful teaching means that pupils are able to meet the challenge and make good progress. In design and technology and science expectations are appropriately high. In other subjects there is a marked variability across the school. In the lower school in history some teachers’ expectations of pupils with special educational needs are too high so that these

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Teaching

pupils cannot participate fully in recording work. In art in the upper school teachers are aware of what pupils at Key Stage 2 can achieve and set high standards for the pupils through their interventions during lessons. In the school overall, expectations relating to presentation and the quality of handwriting are not high enough.

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Teaching

23.Teachers’ planning is good and is supported by regular planning within year groups. Teachers are clear what pupils are to gain from lessons at the stage of planning for the week. However, occasionally a few teachers interpret the planning differently when it comes to individual lessons. This means that there is sometimes more emphasis on activity completion than on skills to be taught. This was evident in some history lessons when there was some variation across a year group in .the emphasis placed on enquiry.

p.16

Teaching

24.Teachers are well organised and use a good range of methods to ensure pupils have appropriate experiences related to the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and to the National Curriculum in the other subjects. They provide a good balance of whole class, group and individual work. Their expositions are clear and they make good use of discussion and reflection in subjects generally and particularly in religious education. Group work is well organised and managed even when it involves a range of practical work in science, design and technology and art. On some occasions, however, during this part of the lesson the work of pupils undertaking tasks independently of the teacher is not monitored enough so that the pace of work is too slow. The plenary part of lessons reinforces learning but seldom takes pupils forward to what is to be learned next. Teachers make good links between subjects, such as

p.16

Teaching

science and design and technology when studying nutrition, art and history when developing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the work of artists’ and literacy and history to teach research skills.

p.16

Teaching

25.There are some inconsistencies in the management of pupils. Most teachers manage pupils’ behaviour very well. In some lessons, particularly in Years 3 and 4 however, pupil management is unsatisfactory when a few pupils are allowed to interrupt introductions to lessons, to complete insufficient work or engage in behaviour that is distracting for other pupils. Teachers are aware of pupils’ needs in their individual education plans when they have particular behavioural difficulties and employ a positive approach, but some teachers are limited in the strategies that they use Chalkwell Hall - 17 to manage inappropriate behaviour and as result have difficulty in ensuring that pupils remain on task.

p.16

Teaching

26.The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is generally good. Teachers have a good level of awareness of pupils’ needs and use their individual plans when matching work to their needs. The co-ordinator for special educational needs is particularly successful in developing pupils’ literacy skills through small group work in withdrawal sessions. The use of teachers or support assistants for pupils with special educational needs is generally effective.

p.17

Teaching

27.Teachers make satisfactory use of time and good use of resources to support pupils’ progress in lessons. For example, they make effective use of well-chosen texts in literacy and good use of resources to develop mental and oral mathematics and investigative work in science. They often set a brisk pace in the introduction to lessons because of the good use of questioning that in the best teaching ensures that all pupils participate. When pupils work independently individually or in groups the pace of work is good when teachers set time limits for tasks. However, on occasions pupils set their own pace that is too leisurely. Some lessons are too long for the activities planned, for example in a history lesson of an hour’s duration in Year 4 when pupils were engaged in similar activities throughout the session and could not sustain concentration. On a few occasions teachers find difficulty in

p.17

Teaching

providing a worthwhile activity for pupils in the short period that is available immediately before the literacy hour.

p.17

Teaching

28.Use of assessment is satisfactory overall but variable. Some teachers make good use of assessment, for example one teacher observed pupils during guided reading and another during investigative work in science and made written comments. Most teachers make notes of progress that pupils make in lessons and some use these in planning future work. Marking is thorough and positive, making good use of stickers and stamps to recognise progress and good efforts made by pupils. In the best marking the teachers indicate how the pupils can improve their work and show that they have taken a genuine interest in what the pupils have written. At times, however, written requests from the teacher, which accompany the work, for example ‘please ensure that you finish this’ are not responded to by the pupils and are not followed up by the teacher . Teachers generally make good use of questioning to assess what

p.17

Teaching

pupils understand so that they can build on their understanding as the lesson progresses. However, there are some weaknesses in this respect in mathematics when teachers do not give enough time or explanation to ensure understanding before moving on to the next step in the learning.

p.17

Teaching

29.The use of homework is satisfactory. It supports and extends effectively pupils’ work in the classroom. Teachers set spellings, reading and tables work to be completed at home each week. They regularly check the home-school book which parents sign to say that their children have completed the tasks. There is more variability in other activities set but they are linked well to the work of the classroom, for example research for history in Years 5 and 6. In one class pupils were asked to explore the question of the impact of the Millennium Dome relative to Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition.

p.17

Teaching

30.The school has significantly improved the quality of teaching since the last inspection in that there has been a marked reduction in the amount of unsatisfactory teaching.

p.17

The curriculum and assessment

31.The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection in creating a better structure for the curriculum. This has been achieved by preparing a detailed programme of work in each subject for each year group. Additionally, it has made good progress in implementing the National Literacy Strategy and sound progress in the recent introduction of the Numeracy Strategy.

p.17

The curriculum and assessment

32.All National Curriculum subjects are taught in accordance with the requirements of the Programmes of Study, although there is some under-emphasis on pupils using and applying their mathematics. The provision for investigation is good in science. Religious education is taught with due regard to the expectations in the locally Agreed Syllabus. Additionally, pupils are taught about drugs awareness and the creation of human life. They are given opportunities to learn about personal relationships through a suitable personal, social and health education programme and are prepared for adolescence. Chalkwell Hall - 18 33.The school rightly gives priority in its work to the teaching of English and mathematics. However, the time devoted to English and English type activities in other subjects, particularly the amount of writing pupils are asked to do, is out of balance with more practical and investigative aspects of work. This is partly due to the arrangement of

p.17

The curriculum and assessment

the timetable. Not enough attention has been given to the structure of the timetables to intersperse subjects that require more mental activity with those which are more practical. The organisation of this is resulting in some difficulties for pupils’ learning. Too many activities take place successively which require the pupils to be sedentary. As a result, they show some restlessness at times and cannot maintain their levels of concentration when being asked to undertake another writing activity and are slow to begin their work. There are some weaknesses in the current arrangements for the teaching of history in the mixed-age class of Year 3 and 4 pupils because two different studies have to be taught to the separate year groups in the same lesson. The amount of teaching time is currently approximately one hour weekly below government minimum recommendations.

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

34.The school’s organisation and teaching enable pupils to have equality of access and opportunity. Pupils with special educational needs who are withdrawn for additional work in literacy receive a balanced curriculum. Within their class work, teachers use these pupils’ individual education plans well in planning appropriate curriculum experiences for them.

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

35.Overall teachers’ written intentions for the curriculum are good. Members of staff make good plans for the work which they are to teach in a term and in addition write more refined weekly plans which outline in further detail the work planned for groups of pupils who have different prior attainment. These are very detailed for English and mathematics and include not only the content but also the resources that will be required, the learning objectives and assessment opportunities. This good planning, combined with weekly team meetings within year groups, is a major reason for the good implementation of the Literacy Strategy, for pupils’ generally good knowledge of language and for the mostly satisfactory or better quality of teaching. Lesson plans for other subjects do not reach the same high standard and range from those that clearly indicate what the learning intentions of the lessons are to those that mainly

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

36.There is good quality provision for extra-curricular activities, which range from music and sporting activities to art and drama. The arrangements for homework are manageable for the staff in addition to their full teaching commitments and class responsibilities. These help the pupils to follow up work in school and support them in their general preparation for secondary school

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

37.The school has a well-documented policy for assessment that outlines clearly the approaches to assessment and record keeping and gives examples of several record keeping and planning formats for use in the school. These formats and advice result in a largely consistent approach to end of term or year assessment. Less emphasis is given to on-going systems of record keeping in subjects but overall satisfactory progress has been made in addressing the weaknesses in the last inspection report.

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

38.In science and mathematics, there are whole school systems for assessment and record keeping of skill development and key areas of knowledge which track pupils’ progress through the school, and identify pupils’ understanding in a continuous way. However, there is not a similar approach to record keeping in the other subjects. Several teachers have devised their own systems for doing this but they are individual and are not passed on to the next teacher in an organised, clearly understood way. In the foundation subjects these often merely record content coverage. Periodic assessment, particularly at the end of a school year, is thorough. The school makes good use of published tests to assess how well the pupils are progressing in their understanding and skills in reading, mathematics and science and this gives the teachers a good picture of the overall attainment of the pupils in these subjects. Pupils

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

assess their own skill progression in information technology during the course of the year. These results are forwarded to the next teacher on a prepared format and this system is consistent throughout the school.

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

39.Assessment arrangements for pupils with special educational needs are managed by the co-ordinator and are of good quality and have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. All statutory reviews and reviews at different Code of Practice stages are carried out effectively. Chalkwell Hall - 19 40.Assessment is written clearly into the planning schedule as a heading for both weekly and termly planning but this aspect of planning is not clearly understood by all teachers. Some teachers interpret this very broadly as opportunities to assess whilst others have a deeper understanding. In general, however, this aspect is unsatisfactory and teachers do not sufficiently indicate precisely which key questions they will consider to check the pupils’ levels of understanding in lessons. The use of assessment by diagnosing strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ understandings in lessons and using these to inform future learning is satisfactory overall but it is inconsistent. Some

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

examples of very good practice were seen, particularly in Year 6 and in some classes in Year 5. In these classes teachers note down the degree to which pupils understand their work and use this information for clarification at the end of the lesson, for revision purposes and for individual or group work in later lessons. A whole school agreed marking policy is available to guide teachers in how to mark and to ensure that the pupils understand the marking principles. However, not all teachers are aware of its existence and teachers do not consistently implement the detail in the policy.

p.19

The curriculum and assessment

41.Overall the arrangements for assessment are satisfactory with some very good features. However, the main weakness in the current record keeping procedures is that there are too many individualised sheets that makes the keeping of records time consuming.

p.19

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

42.The school has made satisfactory improvements in the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development since the previous inspection and it is good overall. Consistently sound provision is made for pupils’ spiritual development and good provision for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development, which includes provision of the same quality for pupils with special educational needs.

p.19

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

43.The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual development is a mixture of strengths and weaknesses, and is sound overall. Lessons on religious education are planned to a good structure, intended to provide pupils with experiences that contribute to spiritual awareness as well as knowledge. A visit to a local church, for example, offered pupils time to think about the artefacts and meaning of religious traditions as well as baptism, life and death. The background and values of Judaism and Hinduism make a good contribution to their wider appreciation of spiritual experience. The account of the vision and life of St Bernadette at Lourdes helped children to be sensitive to pilgrimage and religious belief. Teachers take advantage of special moments that occur unexpectedly in lessons, such as in reading a poem during literacy. The themes for assemblies are chosen carefully to provide moments of spiritual experience and development and this is usually realised. The assemblies observed during the week were

p.19

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

strong on moral and social questions and gave appropriate times for children to reflect and pray. The choice of music helps to create a suitable atmosphere.

p.19

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

44.The school promotes pupils’ moral development well. The Golden Rules emphasise the central role that honesty and respect play in school life. Pupils are expected to interact with each other in productive ways. Circle Times help children to listen carefully and with understanding to what others say and to try to express their own feelings and emotions. Most teachers set clear expectations for care and consideration for others that are also found in class rules. The teachers emphasise good behaviour and mutual respect, providing good role models through their own relationships. All members of staff help pupils to understand the effects of their behaviour upon others. The school teaches the difference between right and wrong, and most pupils have developed some understanding of the principles underlying decisions about behaviour. The moral development of pupils is central to the values of the school and

p.19

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

teachers make sensible connections between that and improving attainment.

p.19

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

45.The school makes good provision for the pupils' social development. Teachers often arrange for children to work together, for example in Year 6 while investigating how light is reflected or in physical education. These opportunities help children to gain good collaborative skills through the school, although a few pupils continue to find shared working difficult. By Year 6 most pupils are very socially mature. They have gained many skills of social interaction that support negotiated learning and good attainment. Pupils are given suitable opportunities in class to take on responsibility. They are also encouraged to help each other naturally in many ways as part of a busy classroom life. The good social relationships amongst adults and pupils make a valuable contribution to the ethos of Chalkwell Hall - 20 the school. The various clubs provide good opportunities for pupils to work and play together constructively. The

p.19

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

recently formed school council gives all pupils the opportunity, through their elected representatives, to have a voice in the school.

p.20

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

46.Provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. The school makes a good range of visits for the pupils to extend their experiences, for example to the local church and to museums. Lessons in art and music particularly bring a wide range of artistic styles and composers before the pupils. Pupils have the opportunity through art, music, history and religious education lessons to look at pictures, instruments and artefacts that illustrate various cultural traditions well. There are displays of sketchbooks, for example, by such artists as Leonardo da Vinci and Picasso. Several visitors help the children to appreciate both their own and other cultures through music, stories and art. There is a good focus on the festivals of several religions within the religious education lessons, and these are usually celebrated as school assemblies. In this way, the pupils learn about the traditions and cultures of several

p.20

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

religions and significant festivals such as Diwali. The good quality displays observed in some classrooms on these issues help children to recognise the variety of cultural backgrounds that influence life today, introducing them to some of the multi-cultural diversity. However, multi-cultural perspectives across the curriculum are seldom planned. Most subjects of the curriculum and some clubs, make strong contributions to cultural development.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

47.The school has successfully maintained the satisfactory arrangements for the support, guidance and welfare of its pupils since the last inspection. All members of staff know the pupils well and show a good level of care and concern for the needs of the pupils.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

48.The procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress and personal development are satisfactory. Teachers assess pupils and keep records of assessment through a system of pupils’ profiles, which are completed for each pupil and regularly updated. This shows satisfactory improvement since the last inspection, when it was felt there needed to be more effective procedures to ensure that pupils were achieving well against their own academic abilities. Monitoring of pupils’ personal development is also satisfactory. The monitoring of pupils with special educational needs is generally good.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

49.The procedures for monitoring discipline and good behaviour are satisfactory. Whole school and class golden rules, which the pupils know and understand, are helpful to teachers and are generally successful in promoting good behaviour. However, the systems of rewards and sanctions are not uniform across the school, and rely on individual teacher’s knowledge of the pupils. Some teachers do not have an appropriate range of strategies for managing pupils’ behaviour and the behaviour policy is in need of review in the support it gives in this respect. Pupils who show any sustained difficulty with behaviour are monitored through the school’s special educational needs system. Management of the pupils at lunch times is good. Pupils are confident that infrequent problems with bullying are dealt with effectively and the school ensures that pupils know what to do should any incidents of bullying occur.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

50.Overall the procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance are good. The school secretary checks the registers regularly and contacts parents if no explanation for a pupil’s absence is received or if a pupil’s lateness persists. Attendance registers are completed carefully, with reasons for absence marked consistently. The education welfare officer checks the attendance registers and visits parents, if appropriate, to find out reasons for absence or to promote regular attendance.

p.20

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

51.The school provides a safe and caring environment that promotes pupils’ well being, health and safety satisfactorily. A designated officer for child protection has received appropriate training and discusses any concerns with the headteacher. Members of staff are aware of the need to inform the designated officer if they Chalkwell Hall - 21 have any concerns. Provision for first aid is satisfactory, with one fully qualified member of staff and one member of staff qualified for the work place. A health and safety policy is in place and appropriate checks are made to grounds, buildings and equipment. Policies are in place for sex education and health education that give clear guidance to staff and have a positive impact on the provision.

p.20

Partnership with parents and the community

52.The previous inspection report found that the information provided for parents about the school and their children’s progress was satisfactory, and this is still the case. Regular newsletters are sent to parents and provide information about events, activities and school visits. These are supplemented with more detailed letters. The school has held a meeting with Year 5 pupils to explain the literacy hour and plans to hold a whole school meeting next term to discuss the Numeracy Strategy. A meeting is held each year to discuss transfer of pupils in Year 6 to secondary school. However, the school provides little information for parents about what the pupils are to learn in advance of each year or term.

p.21

Partnership with parents and the community

53.Teachers meet parents formally twice a year to discuss their children’s progress and a further opportunity is provided following receipt of the written annual report. Teachers are also available to parents at the beginning and end of the school day to discuss any concerns informally with parents as they arise. Reports to parents on pupils’ progress are well written and describe the work that the pupils have covered together with pupils’ understanding and performance in this work. They give parents a clear view about pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and in science and their attainment in comparison with other pupils in the class. They also include targets for pupils’ future learning.

p.21

Partnership with parents and the community

54.Parents are encouraged to help out in school, but only a small number do so. There is better support for helping on school trips. A group of parents arranges social events and raises funds for the school. Parents have regular opportunities to become involved in their children’s learning through the home-school liaison book in which there is often a good exchange of information about homework and matters affecting the pupils’ learning.

p.21

Partnership with parents and the community

55.Good links with the wider community help to enhance the curriculum and pupils’ social and personal development. These include a variety of visits by the school choir within the locality. A number of local businesses support the school by giving donations for fundraising events. There are also good links with the local church and with a number of local secondary schools relating to the curriculum, in particular a science project. Liaison with the infants school ensures the positive sharing of a restricted site and the smooth transfer of pupils into Year 3. Pupils visit and sing to local elderly residents at Christmas time. They are encouraged to think of others less fortunate than themselves by raising funds for both local and national charities.

p.21

Leadership and management

56.Since the time of the last inspection there have been significant changes in the leadership. The deputy head teacher has been acting headteacher for one year. Two senior members of staff have shared the role of acting deputy headteacher. During this period, pending the appointment of a permanent headteacher, the emphasis has been placed appropriately on the short-term development of the school and the school has been led and managed effectively. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been introduced well, good procedures have been put in place for monitoring the work of the school in English, mathematics and science and standards have been raised in these subjects in the most recent national tests.

p.21

Leadership and management

57.The current headteacher took up the post on a permanent basis in September 1999 and it is therefore too early to make a judgement about his impact on the leadership of the school. However, when taking account of all those involved, the leadership of the school is considered to be satisfactory overall, and good in some respects. Chalkwell Hall - 22 The governors are very supportive of the school and have an appropriate committee structure. Through regular meetings and visits to the school they keep themselves informed about its work and the recent national initiatives in relation to literacy and numeracy. They have been particularly involved in the planning of the provision of an information technology suite and in improvements to the premises.

p.21

Leadership and management

58.Members of the teaching staff have responsibility for leadership of a year group. They carry out this role very effectively in that they co-ordinate the curriculum planning of the work for all the classes in a specific year group and undertake administrative duties in relation to them. However, they do not have the opportunity to monitor and evaluate the impact of the planning on the quality of teaching and learning and there are some inconsistencies in the quality of teaching within the majority of year groups. In addition, because they do not meet as a senior management team, they are not enabled to have an overview of the school and be fully aware of the effectiveness of whole school procedures in relation to such issues as pupil management and end of key stage target setting. Curriculum co- ordinators have a good level of expertise in the subjects for which they have responsibility and offer advice and

p.22

Leadership and management

support to teachers when needed. They have all been involved in preparing curriculum planning for their subjects since the last inspection. Good procedures have been put in place for checking attainment, teaching and learning in English, mathematics and science, which have involved classroom observations and reporting to all staff and governors. These have had a strong impact on improving aspects of the literacy hour and the teaching in investigative science and mathematics. Most co-ordinators offer effective leadership in their subject responsibilities through giving advice and support to other teachers. Some co-ordinators have devised action plans for their subjects and have been responsible for significant improvements in the provision. However, their job descriptions do not address particular responsibilities within each year and the short-term nature of the school development plan does not

p.22

Leadership and management

enable them to prepare for the development of subjects over time.

p.22

Leadership and management

59.Policies and documentation for special educational needs are good. All statutory requirements are addressed. Support from outside agencies is well managed.

p.22

Leadership and management

60.The school’s aims are met in practice. The school has policies and schemes of work to support staff in the curriculum and in important aspects of school life, such as assessment, special educational needs and behaviour. These policies are not always implemented consistently and some are in need of review, such as the behaviour policy.

p.22

Leadership and management

61.The school’s development plan identifies relevant priorities for school improvement and the governors work with the school to ensure that the agreed actions are undertaken as planned. However, it covers one year only in most respects, which means that it has limited use as a document for strategic planning. The intended outcomes are not precise enough and strategies for monitoring and evaluation are not always included. As a result, the plan does not support the monitoring and evaluation of the impact of planned improvements on teaching, learning and attainment sufficiently.

p.22

Leadership and management

62.The school has a good ethos. The leadership of the school ensures that relationships are good, pupils have equality of opportunity and are keen to learn. There is commitment to raising attainment and the school was successful in exceeding the targets set in consultation with the local education authority for the end of the key stage tests in 1999 in mathematics and science and in meeting the target for English. Attainment in English has to be raised further to meet the targets set for 2000 and 2001. Teachers in Year 5 are involved appropriately in the target setting process to meet statutory requirements for doing so at the end of the key stage but setting targets and monitoring pupils’ progress in meeting them is not yet in place lower in the key stage. The senior members of staff analyse the results in the national tests and they and the governors are aware of the aspects that need to be improved,

p.22

Leadership and management

such as pupils’ attainment in writing and the difference in the performance of the gender groups.

p.22

Leadership and management

63.The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection in those aspects of leadership and management that needed to be improved. The school has introduced nationally produced tests to monitor standards in every year group and these are used to set targets for Year 6 pupils at the end of the key stage. Assessment information is now stored centrally, such as the analysis of the national test results. Statutory requirements are met except in respect of teacher appraisal. The school has been successful in meeting the requirement to have a daily act of collective worship since the last inspection. Chalkwell Hall - 23

p.22

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

64.The school has an appropriate number of teachers who are suitably qualified to teach pupils of this age. They have sufficient knowledge and expertise to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum. The provision of special needs educational support staff is satisfactory, and the provision of other learning support staff is well above average. Teachers and teaching assistants have good awareness and skills in providing for pupils with special educational needs. Teaching assistants have received some literacy training and make an effective contribution to the pupils’ learning. A full time technician provides valuable support for pupils and teachers in information technology lessons. Members of the administrative staff are welcoming and helpful, and make a significant contribution to the smooth running of the school. The caretaker and cleaners ensure that the school is kept clean and this helps to create

p.23

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

65.There are satisfactory arrangements for the induction of new teachers, who soon feel part of the staff team. Appraisals of teachers are not currently taking place as the school is reconsidering the appraisal process. The school plans the in-service training of teachers well. Funds are allocated carefully, with appropriate emphasis given to issues identified in the school development plan and to issues identified by teachers for their personal development. Arrangements for the longer term, wider professional development of teachers are adequate.

p.23

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

66.Some of the classrooms are cramped, but the accommodation is sufficient to allow effective teaching in all subjects except physical education. The halls are too small for the effective teaching of dance and gymnastics and there is no playing field. The dining hall, which is shared with the infants school, is too small and a number of children have to eat their sandwiches in the upstairs hall. A high quality computer suite has recently been installed which is located in the former library. While the school now provides very good specialised facilities for the teaching of information technology it has, nevertheless, lost a library which was described in the last report as well stocked and attractive. Access to accommodation would present difficulties for pupils with a physical disability. The special educational needs base room managed by the co-ordinator for special educational needs has attractive displays and is

p.23

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

73 The size of the playground is insufficient for the children at break times. Nevertheless the staff of the school has worked hard with the staff of the infants school with whom the site is shared to improve the facilities on the playground. Since the last inspection new playground furniture, pergolas and a pond have been added; these have helped considerably to make the most of the small space provided. In recent years the school offices have been relocated, security locks have been fitted to exterior doors and improvements made to the pupils’ cloakrooms and toilets. Lead water pipes have been replaced and exterior lights fitted.

p.23

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

74 The provision of learning resources is satisfactory overall. Resources for information technology and special educational needs are very good and make a major contribution to standards attained. In mathematics, design and technology, music, science and art resources are good and enhance the quality of work in these subjects. In the other subjects resources are satisfactory. Whilst resources to support the teaching of literacy are sufficient and of good quality, the provision of class reading books is unsatisfactory. The amount is insufficient, the range is limited and they are not always easily accessible. There is currently no library and book stocks are stored in classrooms or in the hall. Consequently, it is difficult for pupils to learn how to select library books. The use of resources is generally good. A programme of local visits enriches the curriculum.

p.23

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

75 At the time of the last inspection resources were insufficient in design and technology, geography, history, information technology and religious education. These shortcomings have all been addressed, although still more artefacts could usefully be provided in history. These improvements in resources have helped to support pupils’ learning. Chalkwell Hall - 24

p.23

The efficiency of the school

76 Due to his recent appointment, the headteacher was not involved in the preparation of the current year's budget. The governing body has made satisfactory improvements to the efficient running of the school since the previous inspection. The budget plan for 1999 - 2000 is prepared carefully with detailed costs. The governors’ finance committee sets a budget based on agreed priorities that are identified through visits and discussions about current needs. For example, there is a recently refurbished headteacher's room and school office that have improved the efficiency of daily administration and management. A new ICT suite provides high quality provision that is beginning to enhance pupils' experience and attainment. Further active plans are to provide a new staff room, to support staff morale and improve working conditions. The budget plan mainly covers the current financial year, although there is some forward planning with costs for maintenance of, and improvements to, the accommodation.

p.24

The efficiency of the school

The governing body has a clear understanding of financial procedures. It has effective oversight of the finances and budget through regular monitoring of spending patterns, particularly any variance from that planned.

p.24

The efficiency of the school

77 The school has made satisfactory improvements to the overall provision and quality of resources since the previous inspection. The use of teachers is good; they are all fully occupied with class teaching and this has a positive impact on pupils’ attainment. The pupil to teacher ratio is broadly average for junior schools. Teachers with subject responsibilities provide suitable support to colleagues, although their work does not extend to regular monitoring of the teaching and learning within classrooms in all subjects. Teachers with year group responsibilities co-ordinate the curriculum of their year groups well, but they do not contribute significantly to whole school development and monitoring. Earmarked funds for staff training are used effectively and are linked to school priorities.

p.24

The efficiency of the school

78 The deployment of the support staff is satisfactory overall. They are allocated carefully to classrooms to meet identified learning needs. Individual teachers usually make effective use of the assistants’ time. On many occasions the assistants provide thoughtful support to pupils with learning difficulties. There are times, however, when some teaching assistants are not fully occupied to best advantage for the pupils, for example during some parts of literacy sessions. The assistants who are employed to provide support for named pupils work with them effectively. Overall the teaching assistants have a positive impact on pupils' behaviour and progress. Earmarked funds for pupils with special educational needs are used effectively.

p.24

The efficiency of the school

79 The use of learning resources and accommodation is good. The great majority of lessons are well resourced, for example with sandwiches when looking at nutrition or with mathematics equipment. The school has made a substantial investment in information technology resources that are beginning to be used well across the curriculum. Generally, the co-ordinators purchase resources so that the planned curriculum has sufficient for what the tasks require. The classrooms provide attractive spaces with quite good facilities that are used well to provide mostly worthwhile experiences for the pupils, although a few rooms are small.

p.24

The efficiency of the school

80 Day to day financial control and administration are very good. The school secretaries have established good procedures and routines that help the school to run smoothly. The school implemented the few recommendations of the latest auditor's report. There are clear procedures for delegation and separation of duties.

p.24

The efficiency of the school

81 Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is above average when taking account of the percentage of pupils achieving the national expectation or above in the national tests in English, mathematics and science. The area that the school serves has average socio-economic circumstances. The expenditure per pupil is broadly average, though below the median value. By the end of the key stage, pupils' attainment is average in English, and above average in mathematics and science when taking account of the number of pupils achieving the national expectation or above. The teaching pupils receive is satisfactory with much that is of good or better quality, and their attitudes to work are good. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall during their time in the school and good progress in Year 6. Taking account of all these factors, the school provides satisfactory value for money. Chalkwell Hall - 25

p.24

English

82 Overall current standards in English are at least in line with national expectations and pupils make sound progress across the school. Pupils make better progress in speaking and listening and reading than they do in writing in which it is unsatisfactory for their prior attainment, particularly for the higher attaining pupils. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress both within lessons and when withdrawn for individual or group work.

p.25

English

83 In the national tests in 1999 the percentage of pupils who obtained the expected level in English was about the national average and the percentage of pupils who obtained the higher level was slightly below the national average. In comparison with similar schools, the percentage of pupils who gained the expected level or above was also average. The girls performed better than the boys and more so than the national average difference in performance between boys and girls. In 1998, the previous year, the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level or above was above the national average as was the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level. Over the three years 1996-1998 the performance of the pupils in English was above the national average and the percentages of both boys and girls obtaining the expected level or above was above national averages. Nevertheless the girls have repeatedly done significantly better than the boys. Over the past two years the relative performance of the pupils

p.25

English

against national averages has fallen slightly. The school met its planned targets in the national tests in English in 1999 and has set an equally challenging target to raise standards in the Year 2000.

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English

84 Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are in line to be above expectations for the end of the Key Stage and many pupils are already exceeding them. Pupils make good progress in speaking and listening. They are confident speakers and often use a mature choice of vocabulary for example, a pupil in Year 5 used the word ‘realistically’ correctly in answering a question. A pupil in Year 6 addressed a whole school assembly without notes and spoke about the differences between autobiographical and biographical writing, making appropriate references to visual materials.

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English

85 By the end of the key stage pupils are fluent in conversation and can use appropriate forms of language for particular occasions. For example, in conversation with their peers they can use one form of spoken language containing abbreviated forms that are understood in those contexts. However, they can also use more formal language structures when responding in class to answer questions by their teachers or when in conversation with adults. Many pupils can converse with adults at length and introduce their own experiences, talk factually and give their opinions clearly and unequivocally. Pupils’ listening skills are also good. They listen with interest and show the polite convention of listening without interruption. They are able to give back detail of stories they have heard and answer questions with a clear focus to the question. They show in a variety of lessons, such as in physical education, that they can follow instructions which contain a series of commands. In mental mathematics pupils in

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English

Year 5 had to hold in their heads an equation which contained five elements requiring calculation and most coped successfully.

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English

86 Pupils’ reading skills are in line to be above national expectations by the end of the key stage and a significant number of pupils are already reading at a level higher than expected nationally for the end of the key stage. Overall pupils make satisfactory progress in this aspect of English. Most pupils enjoy literature and read books by a range of authors. Several are members of local libraries. They read regularly, either at school or at home, and many pupils have well-established reading habits. In one Year 6 class pupils lend each other books which they have enjoyed and this approach is helping to develop an interest in books. Most pupils read aloud fluently, accurately and with a good level of expression, observing the punctuation and emphasising words appropriately to make the reading aloud interesting. Their comprehension of the text is good and they can remember significant amounts of detail and give their opinions of different characters in the story. Pupils read a range of types of

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English

literature, including magazines. They have good strategies for finding literature that they feel they will enjoy, such as discussion with their friends, use of illustrations, the degree of difficulty and reference to the blurb. Pupils have good Chalkwell Hall - 26 study skills. Most know about fiction and non-fiction but sometimes get confused between the two terms. They know about index and contents and how these are arranged. They understand the purpose of a glossary and can find information by scanning the page. They did this well in finding information about the Ancient Greeks in Year 5 and in Year 6 made good use of the contents, index, skills of skimming and scanning to find out information to do with the Great Exhibition

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English

87 There is considerable variety in pupils’ writing skills. Overall these are sound but nevertheless pupils make unsatisfactory progress in this aspect of English in relation to their prior attainment. They have good knowledge of different types of writing. For example, they know the difference between chronological and non-chronological writing and they understand the terminology associated with different word forms of language terminology such as ‘onomatopoeia’ and ‘alliteration’. In addition to their specific work in English pupils have many opportunities to write in different subjects. For example they take notes in music and they write to explain their investigations in science or to describe the procedures they undertake in their experiments. In religious education they use skills effectively to write postcards from Lourdes whilst on an imaginary pilgrimage. Pupils build clearly on their skill

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English

development and understanding of grammar and punctuation as pupils move up through the school but they sometimes do not apply skills learned and practised in exercises to their other work. As a result, pupils’ use of correct punctuation is inconsistent and sometimes below that which might be expected for their prior attainment.

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English

88 Pupils do not often check their own work for errors and little evidence of drafting work for particular purposes was seen with a view to improving it for an intended audience. Good opportunities are provided for a range of writing such as play scripts, dialogue, factual writing and poetry. Story writing is very limited and pupils rarely write at length. Much of the pupils’ written work is short and for a particular purpose connected with literacy hour activities. No evidence was seen of pupils planning stories with plot, character development and seeing this through to a conclusion. Paragraphing is not yet well established with many pupils.

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English

89 Pupils’ handwriting is sometimes not well formed and they do not consistently maintain the respective size of letters. A significant number of pupils do not write consistently in a joined hand. Although spelling is good overall, pupils quite often misspell simple words through carelessness. Presentation is insufficiently neat overall and pupils’ writing books contain a mixture of pen and ink.

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English

90 Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are mainly satisfactory and often good. They are good or very good in Year 6. Most pupils listen attentively during the opening part of English lessons and join in well with discussion through answering questions and individual contributions. They are usually well behaved but in a small minority of classes, particularly in the lower part of the key stage, pupils call out and interrupt the flow of the lesson. In a significant number of lessons pupils are slow to begin the written task and often do not complete as much work as they should, particularly if they are not in a group that the teacher is focusing on. Too often pupils work at a leisurely pace during the activity part of the lessons.

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English

91 The quality of teaching is better in the upper part of the key stage where it is most often good and occasionally excellent. Throughout the school it ranges from excellent to occasionally unsatisfactory but it is sound overall. In the best teaching teachers are enthusiastic and plan and prepare very thoroughly with a very good knowledge of the subject and of the literacy strategy. They set timed activities and clear targets that ensure good application to task. They ask very skilled questions that challenge pupils’ thinking and ensure their answers are precise and explained well. They show a good ability to progress the pupils’ understanding through well-chosen textual examples and relevant materials. For example, one lesson observed involved the analysis of written statements that were either fact or opinion but the examples skilfully contained examples that were a combination of the two. This challenged the pupils well and contributed to good levels of discussion. Where teaching is

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English

unsatisfactory or less successful, the activities are not challenging enough and all pupils do the same work. The lesson content is insufficient for the time available; the positioning of the shared text means that all cannot see it, the size of print in the text cannot be read by all the pupils and the identified guided group work is not developed fully.

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English

1 Resources for English are variable in quality and amounts but overall are satisfactory. Good quality resources for the literacy hour have been purchased and the range and amounts of these are satisfactory. There is a Chalkwell Hall - 27 good provision of dictionaries and thesauri. Reading resources are insufficient and limited both in quality and amounts and are not attractively presented.

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English

2 Monitoring and evaluation of the subject are good and have led to the successful implementation of the Literacy Strategy. The co-ordinator has worked hard to train the staff well for the literacy hour. She has recently introduced a new system to record pupils’ development in reading. At present there is no whole school system to record details of pupils’ progress in the key areas of English which moves up with pupils through the school except for test scores and the level the pupils have reached in different aspects of English. Nevertheless, some year groups have devised their own thorough systems to record the development of reading, writing and speaking and listening skills. In addition, teachers in Years 5 and 6 keep very detailed on-going assessments of pupils’ responses to learning opportunities and these are used well to challenge pupils at a higher level or to provide further opportunities

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English

in work where skills are not understood sufficiently. Marking is often thorough with targets for improvement and it often shows a genuine interest in what the pupils have written. Many of the English policies are of good quality but were written before the Literacy Strategy was introduced.

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English

94 In comparison with the last inspection report standards in speaking and listening and reading remain of good quality. Scanning and skimming skills to obtain information from books are better developed but book retrieval skills are still under developed because of the organisation of the books. Pupils’ handwriting is not as consistently good but spelling standards continue to be generally good. Standards in writing still range from satisfactory to good, with the majority being satisfactory.

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Mathematics

95 In the national tests in 1999 the percentage of pupils who attained the expected level or above in mathematics was above the national average and well above that of other schools in similar circumstances. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher level was well above national averages and above the results of other similar schools. Standards dropped slightly from 1997 to 1998 but rose significantly in 1999. The school has already exceeded the targets set for 2000 and 2001.

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Mathematics

96 The number of girls achieving the national average in 1999 was significantly higher than the number of boys, although in previous years there has been little difference between the standards attained by boys and girls. Test results carried out internally for the pupils currently in school indicate that in Year 6 the boys are attaining higher levels, but that in other year groups there are no significant gender differences. The school is aware of these issues and the co-ordinator is monitoring the situation.

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Mathematics

97 Standards in mathematics as judged during the inspection are good overall and reflect the national test results for 1999. There is a strong and appropriate emphasis on numeracy in all classes, and standards in numeracy are mainly good. The standards in Year 3 are broadly in line with national expectations. The pupils have rapid recall of addition and subtraction facts to 20 and can recognise patterns that occur when doubling numbers, such as odd and even numbers. They can measure in centimetres and tell the time to the nearest half-hour. Some of the more able pupils can calculate simple fractions of numbers and know some of their tables. In Year 6 the standards are good. Most pupils know their tables, and can double and halve numbers mentally. Many of them are able to derive answers quickly from known facts. Most pupils can calculate averages, although some are unsure of the correct vocabulary. The more able pupils have very good mental recall of number facts. They have good problem solving

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Mathematics

ideas and can calculate percentage increases and decreases. Throughout the school the pupils’ skills in using and applying mathematics are satisfactory, although they are generally good at discussing their work and articulating their thinking.

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Mathematics

98 In Years 3 and 4 pupils generally make satisfactory progress in lessons and over time, with some progress that is good and some that is unsatisfactory. The older pupils progress well, particularly in Year 6. This leads to the high standards currently attained by the pupils before they leave. Some pupils with special educational needs Chalkwell Hall - 28 in mathematics have been identified in Year 3 and placed in a small set for the teaching of this subject. They mainly make satisfactory progress despite the fact that the range of abilities in the group is wide and the teacher has no support with teaching. Where progress is good in lessons it is because teachers set high expectations, pupils are well managed and tasks are well matched to the needs of the pupils. Where progress is unsatisfactory teachers do not help pupils to identify errors in their thinking, tasks do not cater for the full range of ability in the set and some

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Mathematics

pupils are not challenged appropriately.

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Mathematics

99 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are generally good, with the best attitudes seen from the older pupils. They generally listen attentively, work productively and quietly and are able to reflect on their learning. They are keen and interested in their lessons, enjoy their work and are keen to volunteer answers. These good work habits contribute to the high standards seen. In a small number of lessons, however, some of the younger pupils are noisy, give up too easily when work becomes difficult and do not focus properly on the task in hand. As a result they make unsatisfactory progress.

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Mathematics

100 The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. The teaching in Years 3 and 4 is generally satisfactory with some that is unsatisfactory and in Years 5 and 6 it is good overall. The very good teaching seen in Year 6 is a particular strength. Lessons are generally well structured with good use of mental mathematics followed by purposeful whole-class teaching. Lessons usually end with a short plenary session where pupils share their ideas and work, and some teachers usefully reinforce the key elements of the lesson. However, in some cases insufficient time is left for the plenary, and in others reinforcement opportunities are not exploited. Teachers’ planning is effective, and the teachers’ knowledge and understanding are secure.

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Mathematics

101 Where teaching is good the pace of lessons is brisk and work is well matched to the needs of all the pupils. This was evident in a lesson on angles where good questioning skilfully extended the more able pupils. Activities and tasks are provided which hold the attention of the pupils, as seen in some of the mental arithmetic games. Good management of the pupils was a feature of the better lessons, as were good relationships with pupils, good use of resources and effective whole class teaching.

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Mathematics

102 Where teaching is unsatisfactory the control and management of pupils are often weak. In some cases too much work is planned and pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to consolidate their understanding. This was evident in some of the calculation lessons for the younger pupils. In some lessons pupils are not appropriately challenged. Sometimes this is because the pace of lessons is too slow. Sometimes it is because the work is not appropriately matched to the needs of all the pupils, as in a lesson on calculating the passage of time and another on the measurement of length.

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Mathematics

103 Testing is carried out on an annual basis, and the results of this have been carefully analysed. As a result some Year 6 pupils have been identified for additional support. Many teachers make useful on-going assessments and notes, and some teachers use these to inform their planning. Some teachers make useful diagnostic comments when marking pupils’ work, but in other cases marking merely indicates whether answers are right or wrong.

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Mathematics

104 The mathematics curriculum is generally well balanced, but there is an under-emphasis on pupils using and applying their mathematics. As a consequence their investigational skills and their skills in identifying patterns are less well developed than their numerical skills. The Numeracy Strategy is being implemented in a satisfactory manner, and is leading to improvements in standards and the quality of teaching. Nevertheless, in a small number of cases pupils are not working at appropriate levels. Pupils’ work in other subjects provides useful opportunities for them to apply their numeracy skills. They measure accurately in science and design technology, draw graphs in information technology and science and handle data in information technology.

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Mathematics

105 The co-ordinator provides helpful support for colleagues, and monitors and evaluates the teaching and learning in the subject well. Resources in mathematics are good, and are generally well used, particularly for mental and oral work. Pupils make good use of digit cards, number lines and tables cards. This good use of resources contributes to the standards the pupils attain.

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Mathematics

106 Since the last inspection the pupils’ standards have improved from sound to good. Pupils’ progress was unsatisfactory in Year 3 and sound overall. It is now satisfactory in Years 3 and 4 and good in Years 5 and 6. No Chalkwell Hall - 29 overall judgement of the quality of teaching was given.

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Science

107 Standards in science in the end of Key Stage 2 national tests for 1999 were above average when taking account of the percentage of pupils who reached the expected level or above. In the national tests for 1998 the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level was well below the national average, but in 1999 there was a significant improvement to above the national average level. This indicates that standards have improved since the previous inspection. There is an improving trend over the past four years and the school exceeded its end of key stage target in 1999. In comparison with schools in similar contexts, pupils' performance in science tests was average in 1998 and above average in 1999 for both the expected level or above and above average for the higher level. Inspection findings show that by the end of Key Stage 2, standards in science are above average and reflect the national test results for 1999.

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Science

108 The number of girls achieving the national average in 1999 was higher than the number of boys, although in previous years there has been little difference between the standards attained by boys and girls. The school is aware of this issue and is monitoring test results in other year groups.

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Science

109 By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils have good experimental skills. They use equipment carefully to investigate for example, how light is reflected. They make appropriate observations of what happens and record their measurements. The great majority of pupils know the meaning of the scientific terms needed for their tasks as a result of teachers placing a good emphasis on the correct use of language. Pupils have good understanding of the need to control the experimental conditions in order to obtain reliable observations. Most pupils give careful scientific explanations for their predictions and observations during experimental work. They provide systematic records of results. Quantitative experimental work from their observations forms a good basis for their reasoning, and supports pupils in reaching the higher levels. There is usually suitable explanation of the results, although many pupils are just beginning to understand the principles. Overall pupils' scientific knowledge is above average by the

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Science

end of the key stage. Many pupils can recall facts, and higher attaining pupils are able explain their ideas using clear scientific terminology.

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Science

110 Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have a satisfactory understanding of how to set up an experiment that includes testing under controlled conditions. They make relevant observations such as the distance from a magnet before a paper clip will jump to it. They are beginning to give explanations for their observations, such as why a string of paper clips is held under a magnet. Previous work shows that pupils know the basic conditions that animals and plants need to live, and the main organs of the body. They know several properties of materials and explain sensibly why certain materials are useful for a purpose. They have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding across the science curriculum.

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Science

111 In Year 5 pupils know the main groups of food required as nutrition. As preparation for an investigation on the nutritional values of sandwiches, they kept a log of food eaten during the previous week, noting fat, carbohydrate, protein, and vitamin or mineral content. They discussed sensibly what functions protein and carbohydrate have, what the body needs and which sandwiches provide a balanced diet from use of their records. Several pupils made good use of information technology to produce graphs. Pupils in Year 6 formulate questions to focus their experiments on light. The good teaching ensures that they apply good investigational methods to set up an experiment, control variables and take measurements that make a fair test. They make reasoned predictions and are beginning to understand how to form a hypothesis.

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Science

112 The teachers' very good emphasis on practical work provides a good, secure basis for the pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Previous work shows that pupils understand that sound is produced when objects vibrate, and that a sound wave is produced. The pupils have a good knowledge of materials and their properties and have tested sock fabrics for strength using good methods. They know that different materials have varying insulation properties. They know how to make electrical circuits, and that if the resistance in the circuit varies it Chalkwell Hall - 30 affects the brightness of a bulb. While some of the explanations and reasoning remain in an early stage of development, by the end of the key stage pupils have a good understanding of investigative processes. Pupils understand the need for fair testing and are building a good scientific vocabulary. They conduct a fair test, predict, record their results in tables and charts and draw sensible conclusions. They are on course to reach above average

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Science

standards by the end of the key stage in knowledge, skills and understanding through the thorough teaching they receive.

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Science

113 In Years 3 and 4 the pupils generally make satisfactory progress in their lessons. The older pupils progress well, particularly in Year 6. The scheme of work informs the knowledge and understanding of both the pupils and the staff and ensures a clear building up of skills through the school. The pupils make good progress in scientific investigation by the end of the key stage. Pupils with special education needs are carefully monitored and supported in the classroom and make good progress in the targets that are set for them.

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Science

114 Pupils enjoy their science work. Their behaviour in lessons is good. They have positive attitudes to their work and they concentrate reasonably well. There are good relationships in lessons; members of staff constantly give positive feedback to pupils on their work, thus motivating them to do their best. Pupils listen attentively and respond well to challenging questioning. They predict and make appropriate suggestions and carry out experiments sensibly and safely.

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Science

115 The quality of teaching overall is good. It is consistently good in Year 6. The school has adopted national guidance for science in Year 3. This provides a good basis for planning and is to be introduced steadily across the school. The good choice of tasks is prepared to match the planning for the term that builds well on previous knowledge, skills and understanding. However, teachers’ daily planning is not always clear as to the teacher's role and strategies to be employed, or in clearly identifying the skills to be learned. Most teachers have good subject knowledge so that the tasks are clearly explained, with good attention to methodology. Most teachers have high expectations of the pupils for behaviour and standards of work. They have a good questioning style that stimulates and challenges pupils' thinking. On a few occasions insufficient attention is given to careful observations, or

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Science

consolidating the results of pupils' experiments, and their knowledge and understanding remain under developed. Teachers’ management of pupils is usually good, so that they are focused well on the activities. A good selection of appropriate resources is available, although pupils seldom have a free choice in setting up an experiment. Time is usually used well, although, on occasions, pupils tire during a session that is too long. A few sessions are unproductive that do not bring together the results of pupils' experiments to consolidate general understanding. Teachers know their pupils well and give them constant praise and encouragement. A few teachers explain well to the pupils how to improve during lessons, but this is not consistent. Marking of children's work is up to date, but similarly does not always inform them how to improve. There are a few very good examples of daily assessments

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Science

that include diagnostic comments and monitor pupils’ progress carefully. In general, assessment procedures are good in monitoring children's progress.

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Science

116 The subject meets statutory requirements. The scheme of work provides a suitable structure for work to be built upon from year to year within the planned areas of study. The co-ordinator provides very good leadership for the direction of the subject. She monitors teachers' planning and has had opportunities to monitor and evaluate work in classrooms. She is thus in a position to give good advice to staff and identify areas that need strengthening. She places a strong emphasis on developing investigative skills to prepare pupils for work at the higher level in the national tests. She analyses pupils' assessment results thoroughly and also uses tests that she has designed to monitor pupils’ progress across the school. The use of assessment to inform further teaching and planning is good. Resources for science are good, are well organised and easily accessible. The range of science texts is satisfactory.

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Information technology

117 A high quality information technology suite was installed at the beginning of this term. This has helped the school to raise standards considerably, and the pupils are now making good progress. Nevertheless the standards attained at the end of Key Stage 2 are still slightly below the national expectation. Chalkwell Hall - 31 118 The pupils can combine clip art and text to communicate information, changing fonts and point size, and they use spellcheckers. These skills were shown in posters they have created and in some of their literacy work based on Alice in Wonderland and on the poem Reynard the Fox. Pupils show some awareness of their audience, but have not yet learned to create multimedia presentations. They can add to and amend stored information, but have little experience of interrogating information. They can enter information into a spreadsheet and draw graphs of results. Some pupils can use functions to calculate averages, as shown by a small group entering information about the

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Information technology

reflection of light from a science experiment. They currently have little experience of using the computer for control, monitoring or modelling.

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Information technology

119 The pupils are making good progress, both in the lessons seen and in the skills they have acquired earlier in the term. They are using information technology with increasing confidence and independence. Their ability to use a range of basic aspects of word processing has increased considerably, as has their ability to use confidently a wider range of computer programs. The progress the pupils make is helped by the valuable support they and teachers receive from the school’s full-time information technology technician.

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Information technology

120 The pupils generally enjoy their work in information technology. They remain on task and work productively. They collaborate well and learn from their mistakes. This was shown well in the lessons where pupils were using search engines to access different sites on the Internet. Some of them were unable to access the sites they needed initially, but they persevered, asked for help where necessary, listened to instructions, and were successful the next time. In one lesson many of the pupils became frustrated by the very slow speed of the CD-ROM they were using to develop their history work on the Ancient Egyptians. As a result some became silly and noisy and did not show proper respect for the equipment, although others worked more patiently and responded well to the challenge.

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Information technology

121 The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding are generally secure, and the pupils are appropriately challenged. Planning is effective with proper emphasis given to what the pupils are to learn as well as the programs they are to use. Teachers make good use of the technician in class lessons, and they generally present interesting activities for the pupils that hold their attention. Where teaching is good lessons are well paced, teachers show good subject knowledge and are more confident in their work. In the one unsatisfactory lesson seen the management and control of pupils were poor, and the pace was slow; this was partly due to technical difficulties. As a result several pupils became inattentive and many made no real progress.

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Information technology

122 The school has invested heavily in computer hardware. A brand new suite of 16 computers has recently been installed, and additional new machines placed around the school. The school is connected to the Internet. The quality of these resources is very good, and they are usually used well.

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Information technology

123 All teachers are currently receiving valuable and extensive regular training for information technology, which has already improved their subject knowledge and confidence. The nationally produced scheme of work for information technology is being implemented, although the school has currently few resources for teaching control, modelling or monitoring. Some of the pupils, particularly in Year 6, make good use of information technology to support their learning in other subjects. Interesting examples were seen of pupils entering data, drawing graphs and calculating averages to support their work in science. In several year groups they use computers to develop their literacy work. In art some of the Year 3 pupils were using a drawing package to produce pictures in the style of Mondrian, and Year 6 pupils to produce work in the style of William Morris. CD-ROMs help to broaden the pupils’ understanding of history.

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Information technology

124 The drive shown by the co-ordinator has been a key feature in the recent development of information technology in the school, and her enthusiasm has helped to take the staff and the school forward. She has produced a useful development plan for the subject, and has ensured that funds have been spent wisely. A useful pupil self- assessment sheet has been produced.

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Information technology

125 Pupils’ attainment at the time of the last inspection was satisfactory but no overall grade was given for the quality of teaching. However, curriculum planning has improved since that time, as have both the quality and quantity of computers. Chalkwell Hall - 32

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Religious Education

126 Standards in religious education are in line with the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus by the end of the key stage. The school has maintained satisfactory standards since the previous inspection.

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Religious Education

127 By the end of the key stage pupils have a sound knowledge and understanding of the major festivals of Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism. They know, for example, of Hanukkah and Divali, and explain the main events of the oil lasting for eight days. Pupils in Year 3 understand the relationships between family life and the values and beliefs of religious families. By Year 4, pupils have a sound knowledge and understanding of significant features of a synagogue, and compare that with items in Christian churches. They know several events in the life of Jesus. Pupils in Year 5 know some of the actions and objects that are special for Hindus. They know about the stories of Rama and Sita, for example and explain them simply in their own words. By Year 6 much of the previous work is consolidated, so that the pupils understand some of the customs of Jewish people. They understand the significance

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Religious Education

of special places to many people, for example as a place of security for young children or having religious meaning. They followed the story of the visions of St Bernadette closely and understand why Lourdes became a centre for pilgrimage.

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Religious Education

128 Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. By the end of the key stage, pupils describe important religious people, places and events with satisfactory knowledge and understanding. They are less confident in interpreting the events or symbols in religious terms. They have an early understanding of issues and events that affect their lives and those of others, such as war and peace. They understand the importance of family life and the need for respect for others' feelings and values. Pupils are encouraged to develop moral and spiritual awareness in their work as well as directly through religious education. Religious education lessons give significant prominence to developing pupils’ wider understanding of religious festivals, both Christian and those from other cultures and world religions. For example, pupils have a growing knowledge of how festivals are

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Religious Education

celebrated. They are becoming aware of the differences of different faith communities.

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Religious Education

129 Pupils' attitudes towards religious education are good overall through the school. Most pupils work with good interest and concentration. They enjoy explaining their ideas, and try to produce a good finished piece of work. The pupils are thoughtful in considering the meaning of artefacts and symbols such as the Hindu symbol for peace and talk confidently about their ideas. The behaviour of most pupils is good and supports their attainment.

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Religious Education

130 The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers' planning is good, with clear objectives that are linked to the locally Agreed Syllabus. Their subject knowledge is secure and they use good teaching methods, encouraging worthwhile discussions. Teachers mostly have a good questioning style that prompts pupils to think and reason. They provide a good choice of task that helps pupils to extend and consolidate their learning, with an appropriate range of resources to hand. Everyday assessment practice is sound, although the school does not have expected procedures to note progress through the years.

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Religious Education

131 The co-ordinator has a good understanding of the role and provides helpful support. She has drawn up an action plan with suitable objectives, although she is only just beginning to promote spiritual understanding across the curriculum. Overall management of the subject is good. The co-ordinator has prepared a topic plan to provide secure coverage of work through the years, and has made the sensible decision to limit some of the knowledge emphasis. The weakness identified in the previous inspection, that the subject does not meet the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus, has been addressed. The school now uses the locally Agreed Syllabus carefully and ensures balance and full coverage. There is a sound range of resources for the subject that is extended as funds allow, with some good artefacts from the three main religions they study. Chalkwell Hall - 33

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Art

132 From scrutiny of pupils’ past work and in lessons seen it is judged that pupils make good progress in painting and drawing during their time in the school. However, there is some inconsistency in the progress that pupils make. In the lower school whilst some progress is good, most is satisfactory. In the upper school, progress is most often good with some that is very good. The good progress relates very closely to teachers’ understanding of the skills and knowledge to be developed and their high expectations of what pupils can achieve.

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Art

133 In Year 3 pupils in all classes are able to mix paint to create primary colours. When pupils make good progress they use these skills to create pictures in the style of Mondrian. They also extend their work into use of the computer to produce designs using primary and secondary colours. Their knowledge and understanding of Mondrian’s work are good for their age. They are able to say what they like about his work, making reference to light and dark colours. In Year 4 pupils build on previous learning by mixing paints and pastels to create shades of colours in colour wheels. They have satisfactory skills and knowledge in use of the media. Some pupils make good progress and use these skills to draw using pastels to create light and shadow to a good standard.

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Art

134 In Year 5 pupils have a good knowledge and understanding for their age of the work of Holbein. They use their knowledge of the period to understand some of the artist’s intentions. They are able to recognise differences between his sketches and paintings and to state their preferences, using words like colourful and detailed. Pupils are able to apply some of the skills that they have observed in the artist’s work when sketching in charcoal, using hard and soft lines and light and shade. Progress in lessons is good. In Year 6 pupils make good progress over a series of lessons related to the work of William Morris. They show good knowledge and understanding of his designs and are able to discuss repeated and symmetrical patterns and use of colour. They are able to create designs based on those of William Morris using paint, pastels and collage. Their observational drawings of collected items from nature

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Art

show good attention to detail and good use of line and shading. Work on display shows that pupils in Years 5 and 6 in the previous year achieved good quality work in collage and clay and teachers’ long-term planning shows that the same range of work is planned for this year. Little textile work is undertaken.

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Art

135 Pupils have good attitudes to the subject. They are able to co-operate well in groups to share resources and work independently, choosing colours and materials. They are confident to express their ideas and opinions about works of art. They handle tools with care and often show pride in their achievements. Generally pupils concentrate well and, except in a few lessons, work at a good pace. Pupils are willing to use sketchbooks to practise skills and to use these to improve their work.

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Art

136 The quality of teaching is good overall and ranges from excellent to satisfactory. Teachers prepare activities thoroughly and manage a range of group work well so that lessons are purposeful. They teach skills through demonstration and regular interaction with pupils as the lesson progresses so that pupils are taken forward in their learning appropriately. They make good use of resources and these are readily available to pupils. Where teaching is excellent it is due to very good teacher subject knowledge and a high level of discussion with pupils to promote their understanding of the work of artists and the development of skills. Assessment of pupils is undertaken and is used to plan future work. Shared planning in year groups helps teachers to provide a similar curriculum for pupils of the same age but not all teachers have the same expectations of pupils and this accounts for the variability in

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Art

teaching. Very occasionally there are not enough resources for pupils to develop their colour mixing skills fully and pupils are allowed to work at too slow a pace. Some good links are made between art and history in the study of Holbein and William Morris where pupils’ knowledge of history enhances their understanding of the work of artists. Teachers assess pupils’ work sufficiently to enable them to complete the pupils’ annual reports for parents but the assessments are not used consistently to plan future work. Where teaching assistants are available teachers make good use of them to support the organisation and management of group work.

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Art

137 The curriculum co-ordinator leads the subject well. Since the last inspection the work and teaching of good Chalkwell Hall - 34 quality have been maintained. The variability in teachers’ subject expertise remains, although planning for each year group is now available to support teachers in building on pupils’ learning from year to year. The use of sketchbooks has been promoted successfully throughout the school. The co-ordinator monitors standards in art through displays of pupils’ work. However, there are no opportunities for the subject co-ordinator or the year group leader to address the variability in the quality of teaching through classroom observations. Art resources are good in quantity, range and quality and have a positive affect on the standards achieved.

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Design and technology

138 Pupils make satisfactory and often good progress in design and technology. Their designing and making skills show steady improvement and, particularly with older pupils, skills of evaluation are developing well. Younger pupils design and make wheeled vehicles and lever mechanisms well for their age and describe accurately the function of the chassis, axles and the effect of levers. By the end of Year 6 pupils can make a working model using these skills and evaluate the success of the design. In Year 5 pupils are able to disassemble a sandwich and show increasing skills in evaluating type, filling, quantity and nutritional value. By Year 6 pupils show they can work confidently and to a good standard with large structures and make very accurate evaluation of strengths and fitness for purpose. For example, in work on design and construction with a visiting tutor, pupils constructed a model of the

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Design and technology

roof of the original Crystal Palace using only wooden dowel and elastic bands. Pupils’ achievement at the time of the last inspection was described as very varied. Their achievements are now often good.

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Design and technology

139 Scrutiny of previous work, teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils show that by the end of Year 6 pupils have had an appropriate range of experience. They have made sound, and often good, progress in many aspects of design and technology, including work with resistant materials, textiles, construction kits and food technology.

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Design and technology

140 Pupils’ attitudes in design and technology lessons are never less than good and sometimes very good. They take responsibility for selecting materials and approaches to problem solving, become very absorbed in their work and enjoy the challenges set by teachers. Behaviour is good and pupils are keen to produce work they perceive as of good quality.

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Design and technology

141 The quality of teaching in design and technology has remained strong since the last inspection. It is never less than satisfactory and is good in around half of lessons seen. Teachers generally have good subject knowledge that is evidenced by the manner in which many are able to challenge pupils thinking beyond the content of the current lesson. For example, one teacher asked pupils constructing a model of a crane on a wheeled vehicle what would happen when the crane attempted to lift a load. Teachers plan their lessons very thoroughly and use very good cross- curricular opportunities. For example, in work on levers teachers refer to work in history and in science and in the Crystal Palace project they make strong links with history, geography and mathematics. Teachers usually have very high expectations, challenge pupils to evaluate thoroughly and manage pupils in practical situations very effectively.

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Design and technology

Assessments of pupils’ attainment and progress are made informally but are recorded.

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Design and technology

1 The subject is well led by a co-ordinator who has good subject knowledge and high expectation. A subject policy and scheme of work are of good quality and have been produced since the last inspection. Resources for the subject are now good.

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Geography

143 Due to timetabling arrangements only one geography lesson was observed during the course of the inspection. Other evidence, for example scrutiny of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning, discussion with pupils and teachers and displays across the school indicate that pupils continue to make at least satisfactory progress in the subject. By the end of Year 6 pupils demonstrate good skills and knowledge through evidence of work they have undertaken. For example, they have studied Egypt, rivers and settlements, including local studies and contrasting localities, and worked on weather, climates and maps, ranging from use of local maps to detailed study and use of Ordnance Survey maps. Good cross-curricular themes are evident in pupils’ work, particularly links with history. Chalkwell Hall - 35 This reflects the findings of the last inspection. However, a very comprehensive scheme of work has been prepared

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Geography

since that time that offers good support to teachers in planning for the subject. Resources for geography have been improved and are now satisfactory. The subject is well led by a co-ordinator with good subject knowledge who monitors the work in the subject through discussion with class teachers and observation of displays.

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History

144 Pupils make satisfactory progress across the key stage in history. Progress in the lower part of the school is satisfactory and in Year 6 pupils’ progress is good. Teachers often match the work to the needs of pupils of different abilities and this generally extends the thinking of the highest attaining pupils and ensures good progress. On some occasions the work is too challenging for pupils with special educational needs. However, overall these pupils make satisfactory progress. The emphasis on recording in written form slows the progress that some younger pupils make in developing their historical skills.

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History

145 By Year 6 pupils develop a satisfactory sense of chronology and good historical knowledge. In Year 4 some pupils are able to use a time line to calculate how long ago the Ancient Egyptians lived and by Year 6 some pupils can identify different historical periods and give the dates of the Victorian period. Pupils in Year 3 can describe some of the features of the homes of the Ancient Greeks and pupils in Year 4 know that the Ancient Egyptians used papyrus and hieroglyphics for writing. In Year 5 pupils have sound knowledge of the dissolution of the monasteries and higher attaining pupils can suggest the views that different members of society, such as friars and merchants, might have held about Henry VIII’s actions. In Year 6 pupils make good progress in their knowledge of the Victorian period. Many pupils have a good understanding for their age of the impact of the Industrial Revolution on

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History

the lives of the people both in the industrial centres and in the countryside.

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History

146 The progress that pupils make with the use of research skills is good. The youngest pupils can use a contents page to locate information and by Year 6 pupils are beginning to develop note taking skills and many pupils are able to use index, glossary, captions and skimming and scanning to gain information. Pupils’ progress in using sources of evidence is variable both within and across the year groups. It is affected by the range of resources available and by the teaching style employed. In Year 4 the use of a replica of the Rosetta Stone and samples of Papyrus enhance pupils’ observation skills. In Year 6 pupils develop a good awareness of the difference between primary and secondary sources of evidence through the use of a good range of printed materials.

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History

147 Pupils’ response is good overall. It is satisfactory in the lower year groups when pupils are interested and well motivated by a story or through observation of artefacts. Pupils generally listen well but on some occasions they are inattentive during the introduction to the whole class. They usually settle to written work quickly and some pupils write at length. However, in some lessons pupils cannot sustain concentration to complete the task. In the upper part of the school pupils have good, and often very good, attitudes to the subject. They are interested listeners, settle to independent work well and sustain concentration. They collaborate well in groups to discuss or design a poster, for example. They understand what they are expected to achieve in the lesson and strive to meet the target set. They are confident to share their ideas and express their opinions.

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History

148 The quality of teaching ranges from satisfactory to excellent and is good overall. It is satisfactory in the lower part of the school and often very good in Years 5 and 6. Where teaching is satisfactory, teachers plan lessons well, have secure subject knowledge and offer clear explanations. Teachers work alongside pupils to extend their learning but do not often set clear time limits for the completion of work within the lesson. Activities are well matched to the needs of the higher attaining pupils but the challenge is not always appropriate for pupils Chalkwell Hall - 36 with special educational needs so that they have difficulty in maintaining concentration. In a few lessons a very small number of pupils who display inappropriate behaviour are not managed consistently. Where teaching is good teachers have good subject knowledge and provide lively explanations and expositions, maintaining a brisk pace.

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History

They question pupils well and often provide more detail to help the lowest attaining pupils or give them additional support before they start on tasks independently. Resources are used well and have a very positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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History

149 Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to develop their research skills and their vocabulary in history so that the subject makes a significant contribution to pupils’ progress in literacy. They enable pupils to use CD Rom to increase their knowledge of historical periods. In Year 5 good use is made of a visit to Southchurch Park to enhance pupils’ experiences in studying the Tudor period. During the inspection a visitor provided pupils in Year 6 with the opportunity to dramatise the building of Crystal Palace and the opening of the Great Exhibition which greatly enhanced their appreciation and understanding of those historical events

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History

150 Since the last inspection the school has prepared a helpful scheme of work to assist teachers in planning to build on pupils’ learning from year to year. Teachers plan work in year groups which ensures that all pupils of the same age have access to a similar curriculum. However, not all teachers have the same understanding of how to teach historical skills at an appropriate level for the pupils and this accounts for the variation in the quality of teaching across the school. The programme of work planned for the key stage has a weakness in that the teacher of the mixed-age class has to address two historical periods in one term. The subject co-ordinator offers helpful advice and support but there are no opportunities for the subject co-ordinator or the year group leader to address the variability in the quality of teaching through classroom observations. The school has a satisfactory range of books

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History

but insufficient artefacts to stimulate enquiry. The school makes some good use of a local resources centre to supplement its supply of artefacts and those in use in the lessons seen had a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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Music

151 Music is one of the strengths of the school because of the very good subject provision, the very good progress that pupils make, the quality of work in classrooms and the contribution that the subject makes to the pupils’ personal development.

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Music

152 Pupils make very good progress in this subject. This is due to several factors. A music specialist who has excellent knowledge of the subject and tremendous enthusiasm teaches the subject. The pupils have a wide range of opportunities to learn a musical instrument through receiving tuition from a wide range of visiting teachers. They have very good opportunities to participate in extra-curricular activities and to make music together, including singing. The quality of class music lessons promotes pupils’ interest and participation and fulfils the Programmes of Study of the National Curriculum for the subject. The good standards reported in the previous inspection have been maintained at least and are now high.

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Music

153 Several pupils have good skills for their age in playing different instruments and a range of instruments is played. These include cello, flute, clarinet, violin, percussion and various kinds of recorder. An orchestra of approximately 40 pupils meets weekly and during the inspection week was rehearsing music to a high standard, some composed, and some arranged by the co-ordinator accompanied by a visiting harpist.

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Music

154 During the week of the inspection an auditioned choir of 24 pupils was heard to sing with high quality in two parts. A second choir of 100 voices, open to all pupils in the school, sang songs with very good quality of tone and harmony. Recorder groups including a range of ensembles performed to a high standard.

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Music

155 Pupils demonstrate good listening skills throughout the key stage and show a growing understanding of timing and an ability to maintain a steady beat as they move up through the school. By the end of the key stage most pupils understand about the time values of notes and a higher proportion of the pupils than is found in most schools can read the notes on the treble staff. Pupils can compose music with tuned and untuned percussion and Chalkwell Hall - 37 write this down in forms so that they can play it again. Pupils listen to a wide range of music, including music from other cultures, and they can identify particular instruments from recorded music. They know about the sections of an orchestra and can name a range of instruments within different sections. They evidence good appreciation of music and could identify Holst’s ‘Mars’ as warlike music and ‘Venus’ as peace by contrasting the different moods of the

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Music

music. Good opportunities are provided in assembly to widen pupils’ appreciation of music and knowledge of different composers. Pupils sing well and in tune.

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Music

156 Pupils’ response and attitudes in lessons are very good. They listen attentively and take part enthusiastically. All pupils are active participants because of the good level of resource provision. They sustain their interest and levels of concentration throughout and show good levels of respect for the instruments. They demonstrate good skills in note taking of information. They contribute ideas and answers politely and respect the points of view being expressed by other pupils.

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Music

157 The quality of teaching in music is very good. The specialist teacher takes all class lessons in the subject and organises most musical extra-curricular provision but she is well supported by some members of staff who conduct or take groups of instrumentalists, principally recorders. Lessons are brisk, well prepared and well resourced, enabling all pupils to participate practically. Her excellent subject knowledge enables her to impart accurate information and to talk knowledgeably about different aspects of music. She keeps pupils interested throughout by the skilful blend of activities, which involve listening, appreciating, singing and playing music. Class control is very good and lessons are well managed and organised. Her teaching of extra-curricular activities involving instrumental and singing work reach the same high standard. In these activities work is highly challenging for the pupils to which they respond with a very good level of effort and commitment.

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Music

158 Resources for the subject are good and there is a clearly planned programme of work that takes full account of the expectations of the National Curriculum.

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Physical education

159 The school does its best to provide fully for the work in physical education and meets the requirements of the National Curriculum Programmes of Study for the most part. The school’s accommodation facilities are inadequate for high quality provision for physical education. Despite these difficulties, pupils’ are generally making satisfactory progress. Standards in the subject are similar to those reported in the previous inspection.

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Physical education

160 By the end of the key stage pupils have satisfactory skills in a range of games including netball, hockey and football. They can use the inside of their feet for dribbling in football and show satisfactory ball control skills for their age. In hockey they can use both sides of the stick for controlling and dribbling. In dance pupils show good expression both in their movements, in their body postures and in their facial expressions. They twist and turn in the air and use their arms and legs to replicate dramatic movement in exaggerated form. In the little gymnastics work seen in the lower part of the key stage pupils are responsive to each other’s supportive and critical advice and can undertake balance work of satisfactory quality using various body parts.

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Physical education

161 In most lessons pupils are well behaved and work quietly but they often work too noisily in the lower part of the key stage to make best progress. This made it difficult for them to hear their teacher’s comments and affected the overall pace of the lesson and the amount of work which pupils achieved. Nevertheless, they usually work enthusiastically and with interest. In the upper key stage pupils work well and sometimes with a sense of fun and enjoyment which adds to the quality of the lesson. Pupils in the upper part of the key stage work hard at the activities and are obedient and well behaved. They respond quickly to the teacher’s instructions and are very co- operative in carrying out tasks and working with the teacher to organise the equipment. They quickly organise themselves into groups when asked. When working in pairs they practise well together and negotiate ideas for movements. They work sensibly and respect the equipment. Occasionally in games lessons boys do not give the

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Physical education

girls a fair opportunity to practise their skills in group activities when not being closely supervised by the teacher. Chalkwell Hall - 38 162 The quality of teaching in the subject is usually sound with a little that is good balanced by a little that is unsatisfactory. Teachers are aware of health and safety issues. In the better lessons the teacher reminds the pupils of the various levels at which they can effect their dance movements, makes selective use of praise to encourage the pupils, reminds them to vary their direction and makes good use of pupils’ demonstrations. Constant interactions with the pupils commenting on their performance ensure that they improve and make them aware of the different ways in which a dramatic effect can be obtained. Where teaching is unsatisfactory the pupils wait too long for turns in a games lesson and as a result are inactive for long periods of time. Too many different games skills are being

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Physical education

practised in the one lesson and pupils do not have sufficient time to benefit from practising their skills in one game activity before moving on to practising skills in a different game. As a result, pupils make unsatisfactory progress and time is not well used.

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Physical education

1The co-ordinator has only recently taken over responsibility for the subject and the effect of her contribution to the work of the subject cannot yet be adequately assessed. Resources are satisfactory. A planned programme for the subject provides a balanced range of activities, including outdoor pursuits, but a detailed scheme of work is not available to support teachers in planning their lessons.

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Physical education

2The accommodation for physical education is unsatisfactory. The long, narrow halls on both floors are too restrictive for work of quality and both are used as through routes by other pupils. Additionally tables, library shelving and equipment for use in other subjects surround these areas. External physical education areas are also unsatisfactory. The school does not have any field space of its own and has to use a public park that is also used by dog owners. The outside hard area is satisfactory but there are restrictions on its use because it is also shared by the neighbouring infant school. The shared dining room with the infants school has a good floor surface but it is equipped with infant size apparatus and is surrounded by dining furniture. However, this area could be better used for aspects of physical education, such as dance, which are not as reliant on equipment. Chalkwell Hall - 39

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

1.The inspection was carried out by a team of six inspectors who spent a total of 25 inspector days in the school. During the week discussions were held with many pupils, including formal discussions with pupils who are members of the school’s council and with all teaching and non-teaching staff. The work of pupils from every class was inspected in detail outside of lesson time. Assessments were made of pupils’ reading within the literacy lessons and by hearing approximately ten percent of pupils read individually, covering the ability range. The school’s documentation was examined, including budget details. 108 lessons or parts of lessons were observed covering all subjects. Observations were made of assemblies, registration periods, playtimes and lunchtimes. The school’s attendance records and pupils’ records and test results were examined in detail. Prior to the inspection a meeting was

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

held for all parents and eight parents attended. A questionnaire was sent to all parents requesting their views of the school and 107 responses were returned. Chalkwell Hall - 40

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167. Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school's register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals Y3 – Y6 422 1 38 72

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Qualified teachers (Y3 – Y6)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) 17.60 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.98

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Education support staff (Y3 – Y6)

Total number of education support staff 8 Total aggregate hours worked each week 136.0

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Financial data

Expenditure per pupil 1,498.54 Chalkwell Hall - 41 Balance brought forward from previous year 27,177.00

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Financial data

Balance carried forward to next year 59,206.00 Chalkwell Hall - 42

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 422 Number of questionnaires returned: 107

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category) :

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 17.8 66.4 10.3 5.6 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 35.8 59.4 3.8 0.9 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 13.4 52.6 29.9 4.1 0 The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 7.7 55.8 21.2 15.4 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)'s progress 16.8 58.9 18.7 5.6 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 21.7 67.0 9.4 1.9 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 17.8 61.7 12.1 7.5 0.9

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 16.8 53.3 11.2 13.1 5.6

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 23.6 59.4 14.2 2.8 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 18.3 61.5 15.4 4.8 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

My child(ren) like(s) school 38.1 47.6 9.5 3.8 1.0 Chalkwell Hall - 43 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year

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